Plate-clamping mechanism for printing-presses.



W. EVEN SEN PLATE GLAMPING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY13, 1911.

Patented June 4, 1912.

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WILLIW EVENSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINDIEL .rlStEsllfGIBIDR 176 THE GOSS PRINTING PRESS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINQI$, A CQRPDRA TION E ILLINQIS.

PLATE-CLAMPING mno'ietnnrsar eon Specification of Letters Patent.

Toall whom it may concern, i Be it known that. I, lVILLIAM Evensnn, a citizen of theUnited States,.residing at Chicago; in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Plate-Clamping lMechanisin for Printing-Presses, of which the following 'is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to plate clamping; mechanism for printing presses, on the cylinder of which'two curved stereotype plates are adapted to-be clamp-ed abreast by a sin gle operation.

Ordinarily in a two-plate wide press, the plates at each side of the press are adapted to be clamped on the cylinder independently of each other, but in four-plate viide presses it is customary toclamp. the inner plates and the end plates at each side of'tlie press by a single openation, the inner plat-es being held in positiorhby means o'f-pressure transmitted through the medium of the end plates. 2 It is the object of this invention to provide; a new and improved construction in which a plate inay eitller'be clamped on a press through the medium of the plate "abreast of it on the press or be clamped in position independently-of any other plate or plates, so that either twoplates can-Joe used for printing at a time or if desired a single plate only can he clamped in position. Iliisnnother objectof this invention to improve plate clamping mechapism of this type in sundrydetails hereinafter pointed out. The means by which I have accom plished these objects as applied to a cylinder press are'illustrated in the drawings and 40 are hereinafter specifically described.

That which I believe to be new is set; forth in the claims. In the drawings,-F;igute l is a side view of a portion of acyhnder of a four-plate Wide press embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 0 of Fig. 1 with the cylinder given a part at rotation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section, taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. -:l-

an 0 enlarged detail, being a cross-section g on line 4- l of Fig. 3.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings,-l0 indicates a shaft mounted in any suitable bearings not shown and adapted to be rotated by any appropriate means.

shell. its edges being grooves 18 in the shell l3-l4- midway becach of which slideblocks IPR-ZHTING-PRE$SES.

Patenteddnne a, 1 .912.

ion. Serial No. eaeeea.

ll--l2 indicate the parts of a divided hub suitably mounted on the shaft 0 so as to rotate therewith.

l3-14 indicate the parts of a, cylindrical the hub ll-l2 by means indicates ring mounted on the cylinder at itseentral point, said ring extendingslightly beyond the periphery of the beveled, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 1, to hold the beveled of a stereotype plate in position in the 17 indicates slide-blocks mounted in tween the ring 16 and, the end of the cylinder, each of which slide-bloom is pr0- vided with a lzeadli) adapted to slide upon the surface the shell, its edges being bevcled in. order to properly engage the beveled edge of a stereotype plate.

20 indicates slide-blocks slidingly mount ed in grooves 21 in the shell at itsoutcr end,

20 is provided with a head 22 adapted to slide upon the surface of the shell, the inner edges of which heads are beveled in order to properly engage the beveled edge of a stereotype plate.

23 indicates two heavy semi-annnlar plat lidingly mounted upon the hub members .a nd 12, respectively.

9% indicates pii mounted in the plates 23 and having a sliding lit in suitable openings in shell l3-le said pins serving to cause the plates 23 to rotate with the shell but the same time permitting the said plates to slide freely longitudinally of the hub. i

525 indicates plurality of rods rotatably mounted in the plates 23. As shown in Fig. $3, each roll is provided with a. flange 26 iii a chamber 27 in the plate 523, between which flange 26 and a ring 28 carried by the plate is Illl'illlll'i-lll a. heavy coiled spring Each. of til 3 rods 25 is screxwtlircaded lhriimgh one of the SllCl-l7l0CliS QOjand is pnwided upon its outer end wil'ha suitable head 30 for the application of a wrench. indicates rods sci'eW thi-eaded into the inner cnns of incl-ode 25, the direction and the pitch of the threads being such that xwlieirtlie rod tmf'i'led the rod 31 is forced .lIHVflIlll just: halt ast'aras the slideblocl: 20 is moved by reason of the same turning of the rod 25. The rods 31. extend 110 The rod 31 is of such a length and is so adjusted in the end of the rod 25 that the screw 32 maybe adjusted to make the distance between the heads 22 and 19 of the slide-blocks 20 and 17 very slightly shorter than the distance between the heads 19 andthe ring 16 when the slide-blocks 17 are in contact with the ends of the rods 31. It will be understood that when this adjustment has once been made, the turning of the rods 25 does not disturb this relative position, the head 22 always being forced twice as far to the right as is the head 19.

In use, when the width of plate to be used has been determined upon, the rods 25 are turned to bring the heads 19 and 22 to the proper positions. WVhen thereafter a plate 36 is placed in position upon one half of the cylinder with its inner edge engaged by the ring 16 and with its outer edge a very short distance from the inner edges of the heads 19 of the slide-blocks 17 allthatis necessary to do in order to clamp the plate firmly on ,the cylinder is to move the corresponding plate 23 inward, moving inward with it of course the rods 31 and slide-blocks 17. The springs 29 thus hold the slide-blocks 17 yieldingly but firmly in contactlwith the plate regardless of any slight inaccuracies in the'trimming of the plate, the slidable clamping'means 22 being spaced from the slidable clamping means 19 by the rods 25--31. If it were then desired to clamp another plate abreast of the plate 36 and of the same width, this would be accomplished by turning the heads 30 of the rods 25 to move the clamps 22 to the left a short distance, serving to increase the distance between the clamps 22 and 19 sufliciently to permit of the insertion of said plate, this movement having the effect of drawin the ends of the rods 31 from the heads 0? the screws 32, as

will be readily understood. Under these conditions, when the plate 23 is moved inward and locked in position in the usual manner, the outer stereotype plate serves to hold the clamps 19 in contact with the plate 36, and the springs 29 serve to hold the rods 25 and the clamps 22 carried thereby yieldingly but firmly in contact with the outer edge of the outer plate, thus locking the two stereotype plates properly in position abreast regardless of any slight inaccuracies in the trimming o't-thc plates.

I prefer to move the plates 23 inward and to lock them in position by the means shown and described in Letters Patent No. 988,559,

granted to me on April 4, 1911, the pin 37 of such a mechanism being shown in my drawings, said pin 37 corresponding to the pin 17 of my said patent. Thus by the turning of the pin 37 the plate '23 is moved to the right and automatically locked in po'- sition. I

lVhile I have described my invention in connection with a cylinder press, I do not desire to limit myself to its use in such a press, since it may easily be applied also to other forms of presses. The claims are therefore not to be construed to be limited to a cylinder press except as hereinafter specifically limited thereto.

lVhile I-have shown and described means for locking two plates abreast on a press by asingle operation, thevouter plate serving to hold the clamps in contact with the inner plate, together with means for locking only one of such two plates without regard to the other plate, I do not wish to limit myself to. the application of this invention to two plates abreast, as the invention 'mightmanifestly be applied to a greater number of plates abreast, the means by which the slid? able clamps are moved inward toward the stationary clamps being such that the distance between the stationary clamps and the innermost set of slidable clampsmay be kept approximately equal to the distance between.

each set of, slidable clamps and the set of slidable clamps next adjacent to it.

It is seen that when two plates are clamped abreast on thecylinder 14 the plates themselves serre to space apartthe clamping. means and the rods 25-31 do not'so serve for the reasonas explained above that the efi'ective length of said rods is slightly less than the width ofthe outside plate, but when only one plate 36 is to be clamped on the cylinder the rods 25--31 serve as additional or alternative means in lieu of the outside plate for spacing one set of slidable clamping means away from the other. set of slidable clamping means.

I have provided a construction by which either one plate alone or two plates abreast may be locked upon a press, the locking in either case being effected by the movement inward of the plate 23, it requiring no more time or work to lock two plates than it does to lock one plate. Atall times when the locking means are adjusted exactly for a single plate, such locking means are also approximately in adjustment. for locking two plates abreast.

lVhat I claim as my invention and desire to secureby Letters Patent is,-

1. The combination with a plate-support, means carried by said plate-support adapt ed to engage and hold in position the inner edge of a stereotype plate, slidable clampm ans ing means adapted to engage the outer edge of sand plate-and the inner edge of a second plate; slidable clamping means adapted to means inward whereby said plates are clamped in position, said second v plate serving tospacesaid last-named slidable clamping means away named slidable clampingmeans, of alterna tive means in lieu of said second plate for clamping named slidable' clamping means ,whereb by the movement of said second-named sli able clamping means inward said first-named plate may be clamped in position independently of said second- -named plate.

2. The combination with a plate-support,

means carried by saidpla-te-support adapt-- edto engage and hold in'position the inner edge of a"'stereotype plate, slida'ble clamping means adapted to engage the outer edge of said plate and the inner edgeof-a secondplate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage the outer edge of said second plate,-

and means for moving said: last-named slidable clamping means inward plates are clamped in position, said second plate serving to space said last named-slidable clampin means away from said first? named slidab e clamping means, of alterna; tive nieans in lieu' of said second plate for spacing said first-named slidable clamping, means away fronisaid-second-named slid-f able clamping means by a distance approximately equal to the distance which said first-named slid'able clamping means is'permitted to move away from said first-named clamping means. v v

3.The combination with a plate-support,

Z clamping means carried by said plate-support adapted to engage and hold in positionthe inner edge of a stereotype plate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer edge of said plate andv the inner edge, of a second plate, slidab1e clamping means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer named .and -clampmgmeans are forced to be separated' edge of said second plate, and means for moving said lastnamed slidable clamping means inward for clampingboth of said plates in position of adjustable means for forcing said slidable clamping means variable distances to- Ward said first-named clamping means whereby the distance by which said firstsaid second-named slidable is kept approximately equal to the distance to which said first-named clamping means and said first-named slidable clamping means are free ,to'move from each other.'

4. The combination with a plate-support, clamping means carried by said plate-support adapted to engage and hold in position whereby said fromsaid first:

' and hold in whereby said the inner edge of a stereotype plate, slidable clampin means adapted to engage the outer edge 0t said plate and the inner edge of a second plate, slidable clampingmeans ja'dapted to engage the outer edge of said and means formovin'g said,

second plate, last-named slidable clamping means'inward plates are clamped in position, said secondplate servingto space said last named slidable clamping means away froni said first-named slidablet clampin misses a plurality of rods spacing said first-named slidable" clampin means away from said second-named sli able clamping means.

a 5. The combination with a plate-support, clamping means carried by said plate support adapted to' engageand holdin osi- .tion the inner edgeof a stereotype p iate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage and hold in. position the'outei edge of said plate and-the inner edge of. a; second plate, slidable'clampi g means adapted to engage position the outer edge of said second plate, anda plurality of rods one of whiclijs. screw-ichreaded through each of said last-named slidable clamping means, of a plurality of rods one of, which is, connected by a screwfthre'aded "jiint with each of said first-named rods; each of said lastn'amed rods having a btaaaing against one of the first-named slidablei clamping means, whereby by the turning of said first-named rods said slidable clamps are moved toward said first-named clamping means, the screw- .tlireads on said rods being such that said second-named slidable clamps are moved approximately twice as far as are said firstnamed slidable clamps.

6. The combination with a plate-support,

clamping means carried by said plate-sup;

port adapted to means adapted to engage and hold in position the outerdge of said plate and the inner edgelof a second plate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer edge of sand second plate, and a plurality of rods each of which is screw-threaded through one of said last-named slidable clamping means, of a plurality of rods each of which is screw threaded into the end of one of said first-named rods,

the threads on the last-named rods being in the same direction and of approximately half the pitch of those on the exterior of the first-named rods, said last-namedirods bein adapted to bear on said firstnamed slidable clamping means and being of such a length that when the first-named slidable clamping means are in "contact with said last-named rods the distance between said first-named slidable clamping means and the second named slidable'clampingmeans is approximately equal to the distance between said engage and hold in position i the inner edge of a stereotype plate, slidable clamping first-named slidable clamping means and said first-named clamping means.

7. The combination with a plate-support, clamping means carried by said plate-support adapted to engage and hold in position the inner edge of a stereotype plate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer edge of said plate and the inner edge of a second plate, slidable clamping'means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer edge of said second plate, a plurality of rods each of which is screw-threaded through one of said lastnamed slidable clamping means, and a plurality of springs each of which tends to hold one. of said rods yieldingly against movement away from said first-named clamping means, of a plurality of rods one of which is connected by a screw-threaded joint with each of said first-named rods, 'each of said last-named rods having a bearing against one of the first-named slidable clamping means, whereby by the turning of said'first-named rods said slidable clamps are moved toward said first-named clamping mea-ns, the screw-threads on said rods being such that said second-named slidable clamps are moved approximately twice as far as are said first-named slidable clamps.

8. The combination with a plate-support, clamping means carried by said plate-support adapted to engage and hold in position the inner edge of a stereotype plate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer edge of said plate and the inner edge of a second plate, slidable clamping means adapted to engage and hold in position the outer edge of said second plate, a movable member adapted to be slid relative to said plate-support, a plurality of rods mounted'in said movable member each of which rods is screw-threaded throughone of said last-named slidable clamping means, and a plurality 0f springs each of which tends to hold one of said rods yieldingly against movement relative tosaid movable support away from said first-named clampi'ng means, of a plurality of rods one of which is connected by a 'screw-threaded- "clamping means, whereby by the turning of said first-named rods said slidable clamps are moved toward said first-named clamping means, the screw-threads on said rods being such that said second-named slidable clamps are moved approximately twice as far as are said first-named slidable clamps.

' 9. The combination with a plate-support, clamping means carried by said plate-support, and two sets' of slidable clamping means, between which clamping means two stereotype plates are adapted to be secured abreast on said plate-support, of means for adjusting both sets of, slidable clamping means bya single operation toward said first-named clamping -mea-ns, the outer clamping means being moved by this adjustment twice as far as the intermediate clamping means.

10. The combination with a plate-support, clamping means carried by said plate-support, and a plurality of sets of slidable clamping means, between which sets of clamping means a plurality of stereotype plates are adapted to be secured abreast on saidplate-support, of meansfor moving said slidable clamps toward said first-mentioned clamps so that the distance between said first-mentioned clamps and the innermost set of slidable clamps may be kept approximately e ual to the distance between each set of slidab e clamps and the set next adjacent to it.

WILLIAM EVENSEN.

Witnesses W. G. FERGUSON, JOHN M. CARLsoN. 

